Kindred (Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mystery Book 5)

I think each book gets better in this series, which is saying a lot because I have enjoyed each one. Combining action, mystery, history, and genealogy is pure genius. I’m excited to start the next book.

Steve Robinson is a master storyteller. In Kindred, takes us on Jefferson Tayte's quest to identify his birth parents. Against the backdrop of modern Germany, Tayte, and the reader, is thrust into the world of WWII and Hitler's war machine. Was Tayte descended from a war criminal? Kindred had me on the edge of my chair to the very end.

Just finished the 5th novel in the Jefferson Tayte genealogical mystery series and I’ve already begun book 6. If you love the mystery genre it doesn’t really matter if you also enjoy dabbling in family history. That is just the icing on the cake for someone like me who has been working on his own genealogical mysteries for nearly 50 years. That’s what makes JT’s adventures so compelling because you have to have the dogged determination and instincts of a seasoned detective to be a successful genealogist. I’m just thankful I haven’t had anyone try to kill me for my efforts as often as Jefferson Tayte has. Once would be one time to many for me and JT has cheated death so many times in just the first five novels that I’m certain the sixth is going to be a major thriller. Can’t wait!

The best parts of this book were the flashbacks to the Nazi era before and during the war. The story follows two young German friends who had served in the Hitler youth and the SS together. It flashes forward to the present day, when an adoptee is seeking to find the identity of his parents who he thinks he has traced to Germany in the 1940s and 50s. This searcher, named Jefferson Tayte, believes his grandfather to be one of these two friends, one of which was a soldier with principles, the other a war criminal known as the Demon of Dachau. The portion of the narrative set in the past had all the Nazi intrigue you could hope for, and it is well thought out and constructed. The characters seem believable and hold the reader's interest. There are plot twists amid the chaos of war, and the tale is grippingly told. Unfortunately, the portion set in the present doesn't seem plausible, as two of the main antagonists are in their nineties, yet are alert and active. The author seems to want to use the formulaic elements of historic Nazi intrigue plus up to the minute news and technology. He probably should have chose one path or the other, either a modern research story, or a recreation of history. The outcome of the resulting combined narratives leaves the reader with not enough of the wartime story, and too much of an unlikely hodge podge conflict with thuggish neo nazis and nonagenarians in the present time. This approach might have worked better if the present-day portion had been set in the 1960s or 70s. The writing was well done and engaging, yet the story could have been better thought out.

I read the first four in this series a few years ago, enjoyed them and had marked this to buy soon, but too many other books jumped the queue. Then I received Book 7 from NetGalley, and given it's being published his week, and my OCD tendencies mean I am unable to read series out of order, had to get on with it - and no regrets for that.Jefferson Tayte, genealogical investigator, is finally on the trail of his own family history. Travelling to Munich with his partner Jean, with only a photo of the mother who gave him up for adoption as a baby, he meets elderly art dealer Johann Langner, whose best friend during WW2 was notorious war criminal Volker Strobel, who is still alive and being hunted for his crimes. Threats from Neo-Nazis tell them hey are on the right track. Johann tells them the story of how he got to know Volker and we follow his story in flashbacks, how he fell in love, endured the war, and finally fell out with his friend.These books are all separate stories so probably could be read as standalones, but I've enjoyed seeing JT's character evolve. I don't really like war stories, so skimmed over the battle scenes, but Johann's story was crucial to the plot. You would think by now JT would know not to keep blundering into suspicious empty buildings, but he is always driven to get to the truth, no matter what, which I like. Jean also makes a great side-kick.I had been contemplating skipping book 6, but with the revelations here, will just have to read the next two quickly!

I have been waiting - patiently - for the fifth Steve Robinson book about genealogist, Jefferson Tayte. Now that "Kindred" is here and I just finished it, I will be waiting again for his next adventure. "Kindred" has allowed "JT" to finally discover his own history (something that has eluded him his entire adult life). JT always seems to get himself in trouble while searching for client's ancestors and this was definitely no exception to the rule! I loved the way Mr. Robinson seamlessly moved from World War II action to the present day story. Telling JT's story from his parents' point of view and then switching to JT's search for that story could have been confusing but the author made it very clear. I will admit that every time he came back to the present time, I wanted to go back to the history part. There were so many twists and turns that I found myself turning on my kindle even when I had but five minutes to read! I really wanted to know how it would all come together! I certainly wasn't disappointed. If you are a new reader to Jefferson Tayte stories, I would suggest you start with the first book, "In The Blood", just to get to know the recurring characters. However, "Kindred" can stand alone. Try it, I loved it and I'm pretty sure you will, too!

I have waited sometime for the latest Jefferson Tayte instalment and have to say the wait was worthwhile. This book follows on from the previous titles, although personally I do not feel that you have to have read them to enjoy this book. However, if you haven’t read any of the other titles I can highly recommend them. You will understand just what makes Jefferson Tayte tick and understand the character fully, which believe me is well worth knowing, from his fear of flying to his obsession with Hershey Chocolate and cream linen suits which he seams to be able to ruin with incredible ease.As always the scene is set in the first few pages and never fails to please. This time JT as he is affectionately known is investigating his own family history and as always he manages to get himself into some very tight scrapes as he travels along the road to discovery. The book time-shifts between the modern day and the 2nd World War, moving effortlessly between the two. JT has been given some documents by his mentor which have given him some clues to his own family history and lead him to travel to Germany where he discovers some deeply hidden secrets. He is accompanied by his partner Professor Jean Summer and they are left in no uncertain doubt that they should return to London and not continue to investigate the organisation and individuals they are trying to discover, as some people will go to incredible lengths to keep secrets that have been hidden for decades, regardless of the atrocities that are being kept undiscovered.The final few chapters are incredibly tense and I found myself constantly saying just one more chapter and then I will put the book down, but invariably this doesn’t happen and you keep going, which to me is the sign of a really good read. Once I have finished reading a Steve Robinson book I feel as if I have been on the journey with JT and I am exhausted.I cannot wait for the next book and would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good genealogical mystery, you will not be disappointed.

I really enjoy reading Steve Robinson’s Jefferson Tayte series because I find them so interesting. Family history is a fascinating subject and when you mix that with crime drama and intrigue it certainly makes a book hard to put down. All the way through, the subject of Tayte’s own family history has been a sub-text to all the cases he takes on and we are reminded frequently that he would love to be able to find his parents if only he had the time and some leads to get him started. Well in Kindred this is exactly where we are taken from the start and finally he gets the answers he was looking for, whether he wants them or not and with a great deal of excitement, danger and heroics along the way. The search takes Tayte and Jean to Nazi Germany at the height of World War II as we journey through an old soldiers tales of his life in the Hitler Youth, how he became best friends with the boy who went onto become one of the war’s biggest criminals, and the love of his life who he married and then most distressingly lost just after managing to survive the war. The style of moving from the 1940’s back to the present time was a brilliant way to tell the story, and it added to the suspense as the story progressed.I have to say that I found this was the best one so far in what is certainly an excellent series. The only question I have to ask is, now that his search is complete, where will Tayte’s further cases lead him.

Another super story from this author. I love this series and a friend of mine is enjoying it too after I told her about it. She actually beat me to reading this instalment !!I've only marked it down the one star because, as with the last story, I got a little bogged down a couple of times with the more descriptive "stuff"....like this-"The Leibstandarte, as part of Army Group South under Feldmarschall Gerd Von Runstedt, had smashed through the Stalin Line at Mirupol, heading towards Zhitomir"......phew !! I tend to glaze over at passages like this. However, this passage I think is lovely-"They simply wanted to be husband and wife, so that it could be recorded for all time they they had once loved each other".I WAS fascinated to read of the Nachthexen pilots. I looked them up after I finished. I'd never heard of them before so you get an education courtesy of Mr Robinson, too.Many of the chapters darting back 'n' forth in time ended on massive cliffhangers which keeps you reading as you know that the ensuing chapter will tend to be in the differing timeframe so to reach the portion you need to get to you end up reading more than you'd planned. Very cleverly done.It was terrific to finally reach the ending in some part of JT's own personal quest to learn of his own ancestors. It's left so much more open which is rather splendid, as does the very last little cliffhanger thrown in right at the death !!I only spotted a couple of mistakes. The odd missed word and apostrophe mistake so that's impressive as well. I saw on Twitter this week that book 6 is imminent so that will be in my collection as soon as I can afford to get it.

In this 5th outing of the Jefferson Tayte Genealogical Mysteries, we finally learn the true story behind JT's own family history. As a keen genealogist myself, I fell in love with these books from the start and 'Kindred' does not disappoint.Fast paced and moving seamlessly between the present day and World War 2 Germany, this is the best one yet! Full of the twists and turns we have come to expect, but also incredibly moving at times. My heart was in my mouth as the book gathered pace to reach its thrilling conclusion, and I read long into the night as I just couldn't bring myself to put it down until the final page had been turned.Jefferson Tayte is a warm, funny, lovable character, who you can't help but like. His research has a habit of getting him into all sorts of trouble, but I wouldn't have him any other way! If only my own genealogical research could be as interesting - but maybe not quite as dangerous!Highly recommended. Steve Robinson is a gifted storyteller and I hope it isn't too long until we see more of the wonderful Jefferson Tayte. A thrilling 5 stars.

I read the first in the series and resolved to read more so I picked up this one. His personal life must be a thread through no 2 to 4 but not enough to get in the way of a thoroughly good read. It is well plotted as Tayte investigates the mystery in his own past and confronts an interesting dilemma. Was he born out of good or evil ? The tension is there as forces awaken to stop him finding the answer and he kept me ( at least ) guessing to the final pages .A good mystery thriller which will hold your attention to the end.